Zoom Security

With more people using Zoom than ever before, the video-conferencing platform has become a target for unwanted attendees to try to interrupt meetings in a number of disruptive capacities. This gatecrashing, or “Zoom-bombing,” has been reported nationally, and has occurred at a number of other universities.

We encourage everyone to be prepared and take a few preventative measures to avoid these unwanted disruptions as you set up your meetings. ITS has put together the following best practices on ways to keep your Zoom activity safe.

Logging into Zoom through your campus above will create a campus Zoom account for you if you do not already have one.

Before using Zoom, check to make sure your version of the Zoom application is up to date.

If you already have the Zoom desktop client installed, you can check for updates by:

Step 1: Signing in to the Zoom desktop client.

Step 2: Click your profile picture, then click Check for Updates.

Step 3: If an update is available, you can begin installing it by clicking Update.

Require Passwords for Meetings

How Passwords Work for Those Setting Up (Hosting) a Zoom Meeting

Requiring participants to submit a password to enter a meeting adds an extra layer of security to Zoom meetings. To apply this feature when you set up your meeting, click “Schedule New Meeting" and check the box to "Require meeting password."

If you choose this option when you schedule a Zoom meeting, the meeting password will be included in the meeting invitation.

The password will also be included in the Join Zoom Meeting URL.

How Passwords Work When You Are Joining Someone Else’s Zoom Meeting

There are two options for joining a password-protected meeting:

1. Click the link in the meeting invitation. This will take you straight to the host’s waiting room.

2. If you use the Zoom app (Zoom client) on your computer or device, type in the Meeting ID. Once you click “Join” you will be asked to submit the password that is in the meeting invitation.

Utilize Waiting Rooms

How Waiting Rooms Work for Those Setting Up (Hosting) a Zoom Meeting

The Waiting Room feature allows the host to control who enters the meeting. As the Host of a meeting, you will now have to admit participants into your meeting. To apply this feature when you set up your meeting, click “Schedule New Meeting" and check the box to "Enable waiting room."

To allow people into the meeting:

1. Click “Manage Participants”

2. Click “Admit” to allow a participant join the meeting or “Remove” to deny

3. If you have multiple participants you wish to have join the meeting, you can admit them all at once by clicking “Admit All”

How Waiting Rooms Work When You Are Joining Someone Else’s Zoom Meeting

When you join a Zoom meeting, you will automatically be put into the host’s waiting room. There is no action for you to take; you will join the meeting when the host admits you.

• Start Attendee On Hold: You can put everyone else on hold, and the attendees’ video and audio connections will be disabled momentarily. Click on someone’s video thumbnail and select Start Attendee On Hold to activate this feature. Click Take Off Hold in the Participants list when you’re ready to have them back.

• Mute participants: Hosts can mute/unmute individual participants or all of them at once. Hosts can block unwanted, distracting, or inappropriate noise from other participants. You can also enable Mute Upon Entry in your settings.

• Turn off annotation: You and your attendees can doodle and mark up content together using annotations during screen share. You can disable the annotation feature in your Zoom settings to prevent people from writing all over the screens.

• Disable private chat: Zoom has in-meeting chat for everyone or participants can message each other privately. Restrict participants’ ability to chat amongst one another while your event is going on and cut back on distractions. This is really to prevent anyone from getting unwanted messages during the meeting.